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Andrew Bynum

June 25, 2005 -- Andrew Bynum's AAU coach, Larry Marshall, said his star center is assured of being a lottery pick in the NBA Draft on Tuesday and that the league's 19-year-old limit is unfair to teens.
Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun said Bynum, who was recruited by the Huskies, is getting bad advice from his advisors and that turning pro out of high school is a mistake the 17-year-old may regret.

Somewhere between the two lies the truth.

"People told me if I worked hard, got in better shape, I'd be [in the lottery]. I discovered they were right. I'm sure I'll get the opportunity," said Bynum, a 7-foot, 280-pounder who averaged 22 points, 16 boards and five blocks for St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, N.J.

Bynum's stock skyrocketed after he dominated the McDonald's All-American game, and after a league-wide workout at Baruch on June 4, he was confident enough in his lottery status to cancel last week's workout for the Nets.

He impressed the Blazers (No. 3) and Lakers (No. 10), and Isiah Thomas says the Knicks might pick him with the No. 8 pick. But most mock drafts have him going much lower and he wasn't invited to the lottery or Chicago pre-draft camp.

"There are people around him that want him in the NBA," Calhoun said. "He's a bright kid and a great student; he just needs to be advised a little better. He doesn't have to be taking a chance with this."

Bynum, who doesn't have an agent, says he'll play for UConn if he doesn't go in the Top 14. But the team that drafts him will keep his rights through 2008 and he will be locked into that salary slot. Last year's top pick got $10.4 million over three years, a late first-rounder received just $2 million.

"There's not a lot of 5s and he has an NBA body," said one Western scout. "Whoever drafts him, and I see why they would, is drafting upside. He'd be a lottery pick if he went to UConn. I wouldn't say it's a mistake. A risk? Yes."

Bynum, who will surpass Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal as the youngest player drafted, wants his chance.
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Concerning the highlighted I have a question. I know if you don't have an agent you can go back to school, but I thought once you kept your name in the draft that was it. You couldn't go back to school.

I guess I was wrong because this article is saying otherwise.

If so, why don't more players do what Bynum is doing? If you don't get an agent and if things don't work out the way you hoped go to school and improve your game.

I think agents are blood suckers and not worth the money they make. Why do you need an agent when you are a rookie and locked into a pay scale?

If I got an agent he would only get paid when he brought in added money for commercials and such, thats it. He wouldn't get a dime from NBA contracts I signed. I would have a lawyer look at them, but other than that why pay out the money?

I remember when Ray Allen signed his last contract he didn't use an agent. I don't know if he's using an agent now.

Re: Andrew Bynum

i dont know for a fact that this is how this works but lemme tell u what i think....

by staying in the draft, but without an agent, i believe he doesnt forfeit his ncaa eligibility....

however, what he does forfeit is the ability to be drafted higher.....which is why most guys pull out....they pull out because they feel by waiting they will move up the next time they enter the draft....

by staying in the draft, if he was to get drafted lets say 25th, whenever he does decide to play, he goes to the team that drafted him, but more than likely at a reduced rate because odds are if he wouldve pulled out this year and waited 2 years he would go much higher-thus he wouldve been inline for a much bigger payday....

so if he even thinks for a moment theres a chance he wont go in the lottery and he has plans to play at uconn(if he indeed can) then he was foolish to not withdraw-as it will probably cost him millions....

maybe he just wants to be the youngest player ever drafted....with the new age limit rule, it should be a note he carries with him for quite some time...

think about it...hes getting his advice from his brother....who i dont know but im guessing isnt rolling in the dough....considering his brother will be drafted in the first round which means a couple million guaranteed-and probably a much different life for big brother-big brother will probably be the chaperone and lead the nba life-so big brother probably cant wait till andrew gets drafted....hes living vicariously threw he little brother....oh well

Re: Andrew Bynum

What Bynum should do, in this order:

1) Go to college, enter the draft next year
2) Get drafted, go to college for a year - teams retain an American player's rights for a year after they draft him and if he hasn't hired an agent this would be a legit option.

He'll be in the NBDL anyway unless he's the 2nd Amare - a HS big man ready to contribute right away. I don't think he is based on the scouting reports.

Re: Andrew Bynum

problem for the players i think is that if they go back to school they'll need to pay back all expenses incurred to retain their ncaa eligibility. maybe bynum didn't work for too many teams, so he can afford to do this.

regarding agents, a good agent can bring the proper exposure to a prospective nba player. the agent can arrange for workouts, individual, 2-on-2, or whatever would highlight the player's strengths. the agent could mean the difference of being a lottery pick, or falling to the 2nd round, or not getting drafted at all. the agent will surely have an effect on the draft position - and thus the contract amount - of the player, unless maybe if the player's name is lebron.

Re: Andrew Bynum

The option of going to school after being drafted only exists for high school players who have not signed an agent, guys who have not signed any letter-of-intent and so are in no way bound (yet) to NCAA regulations about pulling out of the draft.

It's a very tiny loophole that disappears with the age requirement for next year.

i dont know his family or his brother....hell...i dont even know what kind of financial situation his family is in....but in everything ive read, the brother is very involved in this decision....and it doesnt seem to be much of a stretch to see a brother becoming a bit enamored with the whole process....which, as i said....theres really nothing wrong with that....

plus...calhoun does have a decent reputation for encouraging players to go pro.....though this case is a bit different since he hasnt gotten to use the kid for a year or two....so he could be just as ulterior motivated as the brother....

and the fact is, if im reading things correctly....if he doesnt come out this year he has to wait two years....because he wouldnt be 19 next year though he would be one year removed from his high school class...so who knows...